Imai Nobume
|colorscheme= MimawarigumiColors |image= |jname= 今井信女 |rname= Imai Nobume |epithet=Mukuro, Nobutasu |ename=Imai Nobume |status= Alive |age= 18 |gender= Female |hair= Dark blue |eye= Dark crimson |episode= Episode 245 |affiliation= Mimawarigumi |race= Human |occupation= Mimawarigumi Vice Captain |jva= Hirano Aya |strong points= Donut }} | divwidth= 600px | floatalign= left }} Imai Nobume (今井信女, Imai Nobume), formerly known as Mukuro, is a member of the assassination unit of the Mimawarigumi, as well as the vice captain of the Mimawarigumi. She is the secondary antagonist of the Baragaki Arc. Background Although not much is known about Nobume's origin, it is revealed that she was taken in as a orphan by the Tendoshu at a very young age and was trained by the Naraku Faction in order to be a professional assassin. At the time, her name was "Mukuro". She was eventually named one of the Naraku top three assasins. When Yoshida Shouyou was in jail, Mukuro was his guard, and during this time Shouyou taught her about knowledge and emotions, traits that she was lacking at the time. In time, Mukuro met Sasaki Isaburou as she together with other Naraku trained children were to be used by him in whatever way he liked. They were actually going to be used to assasinate the Hitotsubashi family. However, Sasaki disobeyed this order, which resulted with Oboro punishing him for betraying them. The punishment was to kill both his wife and his just born-child and after that, Sasaki himself. After they were assassinated, Mukuro appears and killed most of the assassins while one of them escaped. Nobume played the villain and made it look as if she was the one who killed Sasaki's wife and his just born-child. This resulted in a furious Sasaki trying to kill her but after seeing tears falling from her face he hesitated. Claiming that the reason why she didn't assassinate Sasaki as well was because she wanted to fight her own weakness and her fragile self, as it was something that Shouyou taught her a while ago. Although Mukuro was ready to accept her punishment, Sasaki stopped his tracks claiming that she has a duty to carry out for him and until the time his goal will be in reach he would have her to kill him claiming that would be his revenge against himself for his lack of power for not being able to save his own family. Sasaki then took Mukuro in for his duties and changed her given name from "Mukuro" to "Nobume"due to the name being the one of his deceased child. Appearance Nobume is a young woman with a triangular face with inmates in her dark red eyes. She has long dark blue hair, evenly trimmed bangs and two shorter, rectangular strands falling on his face. Nobume has a Yatagarasu tattoo behind her neck, which is constantly covered by her long hair. She is normally seen wearing a typical Mimawarigumi uniform. Under the neck has a white long scarf draped white suit with a collar, decorated with gold buttons on her shoulders, and the front rectangular brackets folded cuffs. Her uniform coat is a long trench coat extending to her ankles, while below was cut in half .She is also wearing a black colored belt with a silver buckle. She is seen wearing blue half-thigh shorts rather than the typical Mimawarigumi's long pants, she also wears the same colored socks decorated with white thread which form two X's on each side. She also wears the Mimawariguri uniformed boots. During her childhood she had the same trimmed hair as she does albeit much shorter. She's also seen wearing a kimono and the Yatagarasu's uniform. After she was picked up by Sasaki she wore an outfit similar to Katsura's when he was a kid , and tied her hair up into a ponytail. Her eyes were initially "lifeless" due to Nobume having been trained as a cold-blooded assassin by the Naraku faction, but after Sasaki Isaburo's death life returned to her eyes. Category:Galleries Personality As a result of having been trained by the Naraku faction to be a professional assassin, Nobume is shown to be an emotionless person in both her expression and speech. She appears to be sadistic (similarly to Okita Sougo), and she likes to cut down people (in the literal sense). According to Sasaki Isaburo, once she switches into her assassin mode, she kills everyone in her way, even it there are innocent people. Although she seems to be quiet, she can become talkative if needed. As shown during the Ikkoku Keisei arc, she thinks that it is better to cut down people that are knocked unconscious instead of leaving them alive, believing it is faster to cut them up, although either Gintoki and Tsukuyo try to stop her, due to thinking that her way of deciding to kill is too fast. Nobume loves eating donuts, being rather obsessive about them, and reacts in an animalic way when trying to get them (as shown when Sasaki gave her a donut for her good work and she bit his hand to get it). In addition, she becomes violent when someone eats donuts in front of her, as shown when Sougo did that in front of her. Despite her loyalty towards Sasaki Isaburo, she was shown to go against his orders. For example, she allowed Rotten Maizou to go to Yoshiwara, despite Sasaki's orders, and when he was promoted, Nobume stated that with both allies and enemies gone and they standing on the top of a pile of corpses that didn't mean that they could call their jobs done. Also, when she was offered to seat in the commander's chair she stated that she would rather crawl on the ground instead of sitting in that place. She has also shown to bear a hating towards the Tendoshuu as she insulted them when they arrived to retrieve Nobu Nobu, and later she told Oboro that she will never serve them again. It is revealed later on in the series that Nobume is not completely emotionless, as shown when she cried after remembering that she has to kill Sasaki, showing that she is not actually willing to do that, and she also cried for Sasaki after seeing him in near-death state, and is shown mourning his death. ]] Strength & Abilities Master Swordmanship Specialist: '''She was raised as an assassin from a very young age, she is arguably the strongest female sword user in the series, possibly more powerful than Kyuubei. At a very young age, she was said to be immensely talented in assassination and was the best during her time. She was able to successfully kill multiple Tendoushu assassins without any injuries. Her sword appears to be a '''Nodachi but it turned out to be a regular sized Katana while a small tantō 'concealed at the end of her scabbard. She uses a 2 sword fighting style. Kondo Isao has compared her to the grim reaper, every strike she makes is lethal and capable of killing anyone if it hits. I'mmense Endurance: Nobume appears to have a very high endurance,as she survived having a building crashing down with her in it with only minor scratches. Also, when Utsuro threw his sword and stabbed her in the stomach she still had enough strength to keep fighting him along with Kagura and Sougo .She was also able to avoid a point blank would-be lethal blow from Utsuro and hold him in place long enough for Gintoki to come in for a surprise attack. Nobume is very skilled in imitating people voices, like when she was voicing the Shogun, and she also seems to be a good judge of character. Despite Sougo's cute appearance, she was able to tell that he is a sadistic murderer just by looking at his eyes. She was also able to see the sorrow in Gintoki's and Takasugi's eyes. Relationships Friends & Allies *'Sasaki Isaburo': Sasaki is Nobume's commander. Even though he thought that Nobume assassinated his family in cold blood Sasaki chose to not kill her for it and instead having her serve him for his goals. Nobume, who felt strong guilt for her crimes followed him without questions. He seems to know anything about her, including how to 'lure' Nobume out from under the rubble after her fight with Sougo. Isaburo calls her Nobutasu. She seems to be quite loyal to Isaburo as she claims that she would go along with him if he decides to tag along with Takasugi Shinsuke. Despite having the mission to kill Sasaki, she was shown crying after Sasaki died and mourned his death. *'Soyo Hime': She was ordered to protect Soyo-hime when the castle was heavily guarded. She and Soyo Hime are on good terms and Nobume would sleep with Soyo Hime whenever she gets scared at night. *'Sakata Gintoki': Isaburo said that Gintoki's influence on Nobume has started to change her. In the end she even went against her commander's orders, allowing Rotten Maizou to go to Yoshiwara. The two of them had showed to have an unusual ability to syncronise perfectly with each other every time they are seen together despite being only acquaintances, as shown when they knocked out the shogun they were both ready to run away and both of them were able to fool Sada Sada with their puppet act. Also, she and Tsukuyo were able to notice Gintoki's signal and run beside the wall to distract the guards from the machine gun turret long enough for Gintoki to move in for the kill. She is also the only one who noticed Gintoki was alive after Utsuro's cannon attack and stabbed his foot for Gintoki to come in for a surprise attack. *'Kagura': They seem to have a close friendship and the same rivalry with Sougo. Shinpachi noted that her, Kagura and Soyo- hime are the "Sisterhood Sadist Three". In the Farewell, Shinsegumi arc Kagura tried to convnice her to stop fighting because she believed it was not what Nobume really desired in her heart after seeing her tears. Nobume also saves Kagura from a sword that was thrown by Utsuro, getting injured in the process. *'Yoshida Shouyou': Gintoki's master. During the time before his first student was forced to execute him, Nobume secretly went to his cell and spent time with him. With the help of his wisdom, Nobume started to seemingly and shortly develop her emotions. *'Okita Sougo': Nobume and Sougo are rivals. They fought each other when a fight between the Shinsengumi and the Mimawarigumi broke out. Though due to their sadistic similarities, they completely ignored the point of the fight and merely wished to fight each other to the death. However, in the Farewell, Shinsengumi arc after they fight again and are interrupted by Kagura's arrival and later Utsuro coming and attacking them, they become allies. Okita also helped Nobume get ob her foot when she was about to collapse. Later, Sougo, along with the other Shinsengumi members, mourn Sasaki's death. *'Katsura Kotarou': Considered that she knew him as one of the three Shouyou's first student, although she didn't encounter him due to Katsura isn't involve with warrings. She and Katsura are now fully allies, ever since when Sasaki's cover to take down Bakufu that is being corrupted again has been blown. *'Kijima Matako': Due to Nobume state that she sided with some legendary Joui patriots like Gintoki and Takasugi, they seems to know each other. For an unknown reason, she somehow betrays her, causing an argument between themselves. Enemies *'Oboro': Nobume knows Oboro from her past, as they were both part of the Naraku. Even before Oboro revealed his face to the rebels, Nobume knew it was him when she infiltrated Tokugawa Sada Sada's palace. She possesses extensive knowledge about Oboro's combat skills as well as his position in the Naraku. Later Oboro called Nobume by her former name Mukuro and reminded her of her past as one of the Naraku Three. During their last conversation, Oboro implied that, because Nobume decided to side with Takasugi, one of them is going to die the next time they meet. *[[Utsuro|'Utsuro']]: Utsuro impaled Nobume after the latter saved Kagura, and he proceeded to attack both of them, as well as Okita, and overwhelmed them in a three-on-one fight. Also, she the one who knew the truth behind Shouyou's death, before Gintoki does, without an option being forced to execute his own master to save his comrades. Story Baragaki Arc She first appeared in the Baragaki arc when Sasaki Tetsunosuke was captured by the "Check it Out gang". When Hijikata Toushirou tried to draw out his sword, Nobume instantly prepared for an attack until Okita Sougo intervened. She was killing the gang members in the abandoned buildings until she was stopped by Sougo, who realized that Nobume was not after Sasaki Tetsunosuke's head, but after his own. They were trying to kill each other until they had a S&M competition using the gang members as victims. While Nobume and Sougo resumed their fight, it turned into a chase. Sougo kept dodging her attacks while running away as Nobume cut down the pillars of the building every time she failed to hit Sougo. When he cut down one of the few remaining pillars, he revealed that having her cutting the pillars was his plan from the start. Sougo left the building after it collapsed as Nobume was burried under the rubble. Though hours later Isaburo managed to lure her out with a donut, revealing that Nobume survived. Courtesan of a Nation Arc Her second appearance was when Yorozuya and Tsukuyo entered the Shogun's castle, which was heavily guarded by the Mimawarigumi due to the recent Bakufu assassinations. Nobume was tasked with protecting Soyo Hime. While Yorozuya and Tsukuyo encountered Isaburo, he ordered Nobume to keep an eye on them especially on Gintoki. Gintoki, Shinpachi and Tsukuyo tried to think of a way to get to the former shogun without attention and they came up with "kick the can" game. By using the hide and seek rule, they can reach the former shogun. Rotten Maizou said its improper to kick can and suggested kicking him instead. Nobume who saw this will not allow kicking the can or Maizou but suggested cutting him. She decided to join the game but changed the rule into cutting down people who she'll find. Kick the can game resulted however, in Tokugawa Shige Shige's unconsciousness. Not long after, Sada Sada wanted to talk with Shige Shige. Nobume and Tsukuyo pretended they were Shige Shige's lovers. Sada Sada bought it, but wanted to discuss with Shogun anyway, so Gintoki had to move Shogun around as if he was conscious through ventriloquism. When Tsukuyo asked Sada Sada about Suzuran the place guards came and arrest them when Sada Sada frames them for murdering the Bakufu. Being sent in a prison cell with Yorozuya and Tsukuyo, Sougo came and ate donuts in front of Nobume where she gets violent and steals the donut alongside with Kagura. Nobume reveals that the guards from earlier were no ordinary guards but an Naraku guards. After hearing the truth from Soyo's bedtime story, Shinsengumi let's them out and heads over where Sada Sada is located. Before joining Gintoki, Kagura, Shinpachi and Tsukuyo, She warned the Shinsengumi that once they joined, there's no hopes of going back. Hijikata replied to her. Sougo, on the other hand, walks towards her and commented on her given state, stating that he could kill her here immediately and called her "Murderer." (Geshunin) ''which he and Imai reacts by drawing their swords to seemingly attack each other. Kondo gave a gasped, but then Sougo and Imai later shown that they killed two naraku Agents who is on the rooftop. She gave them a advice, saying that they have no allies in the palace and says that forget about being black or white, Mimawarigumi or Shinsengumi, and walked away to join Gintoki's gang, while Sougo watches her go away and giving her a smirk. On the way, Nobume and Kagura pretends to take Soyo as a hostage to able to go through the Shogun guards as Soyo happily goes along with it. Later on though the group breaks through the guards with force and enters the Bakufu castle. When Nobume and others reaches to Sada Sada location, she's sees Maizou being thrown to the ground. Nobume decides to help Tsukuyo and Gintoki while Shinpachi and Kagura helps take care of Maizou. Almost defeated by the Naraku guards, Isaburo and the other Mimawaragumi members came to help. Nobume receives a donut by Isaburo for good work but takes it in a animal way. While Gintoki plans to go after Sada Sada and Oboro, Nobume decides to go alon g with him as well as Tsukuyo. Gintoki, Tsukuyo and Nobume were in three separate location while disguising themselves as Naraku agents. She was located at the ship generators cutting in half as the ship exploded. After Sada Sada was sent in prison and killed by Takasugi, Nobume encounter with Oboro where it reveals that she was a Naraku member during her childhood. She tells Oboro that she will follow Takasugi alongside with Isaburo. Oboro replies that they'll be enemies if they see each other again. Oboro ask if Takasugi and Gintoki were the same. Nobume replies that Takasugi will destroy what Shouyo left and that Gintoki will protect what he has left but that the both of them have both sorrowful eyes. After the event Nobume kicked the can thinking that it flew all the way to Yoshiwara. She let's Maizou to be reunited with Suzuran only going against her commander's orders. Farewell, Shinsengumi Arc After the death of Shogun Nobume became the one to arrest Kondo personally for his failure of protecting the shougn and therefore being sentenced to execution..When a injured Gintoki tries to stop the Mimawarigumi from taking Kondo away Nobume threatens him to not try go any further. She tells him up straight up that he should worry about protecting his own close comrades rather than trying to protect everyone else as well. Later on a one-eyed Oboro appears before Nobume and claimed that her works under the Mimawarigumi had pleased the Tendoshuu, much to her dismay. He then asked her that she could return to the Naraku claiming that she cannot continue denying her nature. Nobume is later send from Sasaki's order to the Prison Island Tokihara Knowing that the Shinsengumi will not stay quiet while Kondo and Matsudaira are planning to get executed, Sasaki used them as bait for the Shinsegumi to come and try rescue them. However, it turns out that Naraku Faction foresaw his plan and had already went to island to assassinate Kondo and Matsudaira before their execution. Once the Shinsegumi and the Yorozuya arrived in their rescue Nobume with her Mimawarigumi troops and Oboro with his Naraku troops ambush them on the top of a mountain peak. Everyone then splits out as Hijikata heads off to Kondo's direction while Sougo and Gintoki's groups fight Oboro's and Nobume's group. Sougo engages in another personal fight with Nobume while everyone else fights off the rest. During their fight Nobume starts to ask Sougo about why Sasaki have to be the only one that has to suffer and why the Shinsengumi were still around. This leads to Nobume telling about Sasaki's past and how he actually saved the lives of everyone in the Shinsengumi during a attempt of assissination against the Shogun. This tled to Sasaki being punished for disobeying the Tendoshuu. The punishment was for Nobume (part of the Naraku at the time) to assassinate Sasaki together with his family. However, Nobume tried to kill the assassins that actually killed Sasaki's wife and child and made it look as if she was the one who killed them. Sasaki tried tio kill her but he cho se to not do that. He decided to create a revolution against not only the country but also against himself. At the present, several Naraku ships arrive on the island as it turns out that their plan from the very start was to wipe out both the Shinsengumi and the Mimawarigumi in order to stop the spark of the revolution of the country. However despite the new threat, Nobume continues to fight against Okita who asks if both she and Sasaki were planning to commit seppuku together with everyone else on the island. She claims that it was her duty to do so and that she had no right to question it either because of her great guilt for not being able to protect Sasaki's family. Although resolved with her final duty being to slay Sasaki, Nobume sheds a tear at the thought. At that moment Kagura interferes in Nobume and Okita's fight, and tries to convince Nobume to stop fighting, due to believing thatthat the Noume she knew was actually a good person. However, Nobume points her sword at Kagura's neck and tells her that she was able to do horrible things. Shortly after, Nobume puhes Kagura away and gets stabbed by a sword thrown by Utsuro. Nobume, Kagura, and Okita engage Utsuro on a three-on-one battle, with Utsuro overwhelming the three.A few time later, Nobume meets with Sasaki (who was mortally wounded as well) but after an explosion, Sasaki sacrifices his life to save both Nobume and Sasaki Tetsunosuke from the Naraku soldiers and dies. Later, Noubme, along with the Shinsengumi, mourn his death and give a salute for Sasaki' as a sign of respect. Battles Trivia *She is roughly based on ex-Mimawarigumi, member '''Imai Noburo'. Imai Noburo had confessed that he was involved in the assassination of Sakamoto Ryoma with Tadasaburo and others. * Nobume share some similarities with Akame from the anime "Akame Ga Kill!" They both were trained as assassins since they were very young, they both left a corrupted Government/Empire to join a rebel army (although Nobume is in the Mimawarigumi who are police officers secretly in alliance with Takasugi), they both would kill their targets without hesitation,both are very skilled swordswomen and both of them have an unhealthy obsession over their favourite foods.(donuts for Nobume and meat for Akame) * According to Sorachi the reason Nobume's Mimawarigumi uniform and Shimaru's Shinsengumi uniform are different from the standard one is because they want to look cool. * Imai Nobume's looks and standards is quite similar to Izayo Gorugo from Sorachi's one-shot 13. As they both have long hair and wields a samurai sword for sadistic use. It could most likely be that Sorachi took some of Izayo's design and put it into Nobume's. Quotes * (To Okita Sougo) "I knew you weren't a cop. You have the eyes of a murderer... just like me." * (To Okita Sougo) "Never sheath your sword until you've dispatched your target. Isn't that right, murderer?" * (To Shimura Shinpachi) "As a survivor of the Mimawarigumi, it is my duty to fulfill my mission. Also, I get to cut people up." * (To Tokugawa Sada Sada ) "The criminal here is you. All your crimes till now have been witnessed by me, Vice-Captain of the Mimawarigumi, Imai Nobume. Tokugawa Sada Sada, you're under arrest for the assassination of Bakufu officials." * (To Tsukuyo) "It's alright to cut down who I want now... right?" * (To Sakata Gintoki) "Time for the last stage, huh? I won't let you hog the glory. The last bite of a donut is always the best." * (To Oboro) "Isaburo said he would go along with that man's foolish dream... so I will do the same." * (To Oboro) "They weren't like him. One was trying to protect Shoyo's legacy. The other was trying to destroy it. However, they had one thing in common. They both had such sorrow in their eyes. * (On mail to Sasaki Isaburo) Isaburo, I want to thank you for the name, k'? Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Female Characters Category:Mimawarigumi Category:Swordsmen Category:Antagonists Category:Sadistic Type Category:Former Antagonists Category:Orphans